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Charles Duke, USCG

Prohibition Hero

Ensign Charles L. Duke undertook one of the
greatest feats in the history of Coast Guard law enforcement. On the night
of 3 July 1927, he and two men were patrolling New York Harbor on board the
36-foot picket boat, CG-2327. Duke noticed a small, dimly lit steamer
moving through the harbor under the cover of darkness. She had the name Economy
painted on her stern, but she was really the rumrunner, Greypoint.
Duke maneuvered CG-2327 alongside the ship and ordered her to stop.
The master refused. Duke then fired two warning shots from his revolver, yet
the freighter pressed on. As CG-2327 drew close to the ship, Duke
grabbed the freighter’s rail and swung onto the ship.

Having told the men on CG-2327, "If
I’m not out of that pilot house in two minutes you turn the machine gun on
them," Duke moved to the deckhouse armed with a flashlight and a
revolver with only three rounds. Stopped by a seaman, Duke pushed him aside
and moved on to the pilot house. Storming in, he ordered the captain to
reverse the engines. When the captain refused, Duke took the wheel and
grounded the ship on Robbins Reef.

Of course, the Ensign was still on
board an alien vessel with an unknown number of presumably hostile
miscreants. Duke quickly hailed his two crewmen on CG-2327 and sent
them to Bedloe’s Island for assistance. By the time help was sent, it was
after 12:30 AM. The boarding had taken place somewhat after 9:00 PM and Duke
was still alone on Economy. In fact it was 2 AM when the cutter Calumet
approached. She could not close because of the shallow water. CG-122 then
grounded in the mud and CG-143 nearly met the same fate. It was 6 AM
when friendly faces relieved Ensign Duke on board the seized vessel.

Ensign Duke’s hunch had paid off.
Investigation revealed 3,000 drums of alcohol, each with fifty gallons,
valued "on the street" at $50,000. The vessel, in actuality, was
the 793-ton Greypoint from Antwerp and Halifax. Her name had been
changed en route.

In all Duke had captured 22 men and
led "perhaps the most heroic" exploit in the rum war. Ensign Duke
explained with these words, "I had a hunch that the rumrunner might try
to slip by over the holiday weekend. This steamer had the rumrunner look.
You’d think they would be wise and paint their boats, but they pick out
the worst old tubs for their rum ships. I can tell one almost every
time."